When Lidl announced a £29 million investment in employee pay, lifting entry‑level hourly wages to £13.45 nationally and £14.80 in London from 1 March, rising to £14.45 and £15.30 respectively with length of service, it claimed the title of Britain’s highest‑paying supermarket.
That was just a couple of weeks ago – but its competitor, fellow discount supermarket Aldi, has already overtaken its rival by unveiling a fresh pay rise that pushes it back to the top of the sector. From 1 April, Aldi store assistants will earn £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 inside the M25, with rates rising further to £14.47 and £15.20 based on service.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Our colleagues work incredibly hard to deliver exceptional value for our customers, and we’re rewarding that dedication with the highest pay in the sector. We’ve invested over £42 million in colleague pay this year because we know that every single member of Team Aldi is fundamental to our success and deserve nothing less.”
Benefits and the wider talent war
Both discounters continue to reshape expectations on pay and benefits. Lidl’s wider package includes doubling paternity leave to four weeks on full pay — and up to eight weeks for employees with five years’ service — alongside 28 weeks of full‑pay maternity or adoption leave, paid leave for fertility treatment and support for those affected by pregnancy loss.
Aldi, meanwhile, remains the only major supermarket to offer paid breaks for all colleagues, a benefit worth around £1,500 per year.
The two grocers have been pivotal in driving up wages across the UK supermarket sector. While most rivals pay at or just above the National Living Wage, recent announcements from Sainsbury’s and the Co‑op show the broader market is being pulled upward as competition for staff intensifies.
The supermarket pay race continues
Lidl’s March uplift may have kicked off the latest round of increases, but Aldi’s April pay rise has enabled it to reclaim the title of the UK’s highest‑paying supermarket. With both brands expanding aggressively — Aldi plans to open 40 new stores in 2026 as part of a £370 million investment programme, and Lidl opened five stores out of a planned 19 in the UK in February alone — the battle for retail talent is far from over.
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